Focus Area

Governance

Creative has decades of experience implementing governance programs in fragile and conflict-affected environments, and in more stable development contexts.

With local actors, Creative implements a wide range of projects that advance a country’s progress toward democratic and resilient governance, including enhancing responsive service delivery, advancing justice, rights and security, strengthening citizen-state engagement for increased accountability and facilitating transparent processes for legislative reforms and electoral integrity. Creative uses locally led and people-centered strategies to support and engage communities, the private sector and the full spectrum of governance actors as they respond to diverse local needs, improve trust and legitimacy, foster democratic norms and address governance drivers of instability.

We also work with citizens and civil society to equip them with the skills and capacities needed to clearly voice and advocate for their needs and hold governments accountable. Throughout, Creative promotes engagement across the demand and supply side of governance systems as stronger collaboration, coordination and partnerships between diverse governance actors ultimately support governments in delivering on their commitments.

Accountability and Anti-Corruption

Creative works with local actors to co-create the most context-appropriate and effective measures to deepen the integration of accountability and anti-corruption mechanisms across sectors and support integrity norms. We support disclosure and transparency around government procurement processes, services, budget expenditures and sectoral data. We partner with government actors and civil society organizations to enhance service delivery efficiencies and engage communities in social accountability and oversight measures related to service delivery. We also strengthen the organizational and technical capacities of civil society and media watchdogs.

Citizen Security

Creative combines tested public health prevention and placed-based models for improved citizen security. The public health prevention model treats violence as a disease, with a careful diagnosis of those at risk of violence as well as protective factors, holistic prevention interventions to interrupt transmission, preventative measures to keep those at risk from infection and widespread adoption and investment across sectors in prevention and treatment. The place-based model grounds implementation in the realities and specificities of hotspots, institutions and local actor networks within their jurisdictions, people and dynamics and mental models.

Creative also partners with local governments and civil society to develop citizen-responsive security services in post-conflict settings. Our community policing approach includes creating inclusive and safe spaces where citizens can communicate security needs and concerns directly with the security providers.

Civil Society and Civic Engagement

Using a politically informed, systems perspective, Creative supports community and traditional leaders, individual civil society organizations and their networks to effectively advocate, hold duty-bearers accountable and constructively engage with each other. In tandem, we reinforce collaboration and facilitate partnerships and collective action among civil society, academia, the private sector and the government as part of efforts contributing to democratic reform and public service improvements.

Combatting Mis-, Dis- and Mal-information

Creative supports local leadership in understanding, tracking and countering MDM and building networks of like-minded actors who prevent and respond to MDM threats. Recognizing that MDM originates from various sources across digital, social, and traditional media, and new MDM topics emerge continuously, Creative combats MDM differently across contexts. Based on that, we tailor interventions to increase media literacy effectiveness, change beliefs or behaviors surrounding MDM, and provide local actors with information and skills to counter it. 

Elections

Creative addresses the emerging threats of violence and fraud by offering electoral threat assessments, facilitating election conflict prevention planning and supporting peaceful election advocacy. We work closely with election management bodies and other electoral stakeholders to become more inclusive, effective and responsive to voters’ needs, effectively incorporate gender-sensitive approaches and include marginalized groups in the process.

National and Local Governance

Creative’s governance work focuses on enhancing the accountability and efficiency of public institutions, responsive service delivery, meaningful participation of marginalized groups and coordination across the system for impact and resilience. We support local governments to plan, manage, fund, deliver and account for public services and enhance their interaction with citizens, convene local actors across the governance system to build citizen-state relations and trust and strengthen civil society engagement.

Service Delivery

Creative recognizes the importance of providing public services that respond to the heterogeneity of citizens’ needs and delivering these services with do-no-harm, quality, accessibility and equity at the center. We support government actors in implementing strategies that segment citizen bases, establishing citizen-centered mechanisms that proactively and inclusively seek and utilize citizens’ feedback, mobilizing resources for the delivery of services and responding to shocks in a timely manner. We also work with citizens and civil society to equip them with the skills and capacities needed to clearly voice and advocate for their needs and hold governments accountable.